Unless otherwise stated, all images, content and recipes are original and are the sole property of Mary Foreman, DeepSouthDish.com. No photographs or other content may be used without prior written consent.

Privacy Disclosure

Any personal information you provide (e.g., name, email address, etc) will never be released to any entities outside Deep South Dish. As with most websites and blogs across the Internet, third party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a user's prior visits to websites.

Affiliate Disclaimer

Deep South Dish is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products at amazon.com. Your support is greatly appreciated - Thank You!

Food, family and memories are as intertwined in the South as if woven on the same thread. At any function we attend, from a party to a wedding to a funeral, we are as likely to talk as much about the food that was there, as we are about why we are gathered. ~Mary Foreman

I'm your cook, not your doctor. ~PAULA DEEN

I found out what the secret to life is: friends. Best friends. ~Ninny Threadgoode

.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Never Fail Divinity

First things first. {pulls out hissy fit soapbox} Calling a recipe "no fail," or "never fail" is bound to be risky because without fail, somebody is gonna come along who doesn't follow the directions and yet, will blame the recipe, or even me, for their failure.

The truth is, this never fail version of divinity has been around at least as long as, or maybe even longer, than me, and it truly is no fail - if you follow directions. Thousands of folks have been making it successfully for many years, but like any divinity, shortcut or not, you must beat the hot sugar. You must beat it until it is no longer shiny, but begins to dull in appearance. You must beat it until you beat in enough air that it cools and begins to thicken. You will know when its ready, and if it's thin as syrup, it's not ready. Keep beating. Yes. You must beat it until you think your arm is gonna fall off! I you do that, I promise, it works. {tucking away the soapbox}

Divinity is a candy that is primarily made only around the Christmas holidays in the South. There are a number of reasons for that, the primary one being Southern weather, particularly in the Deep South where humidity rules the atmosphere most of the time. Humidity equals wet, and wet equals candy that often won't set.

Even in the cooler and less humid months, it can be a challenge to make old fashioned divinity - that being a divinity that is purely sugar, corn syrup, water, egg whites, chopped pecans, a little vanilla - and a goodly amount of elbow grease. Of course, divinity isn't necessarily a Southern confection, but pretty much every Southerner has a recipe of their own, and a memory, centered around a tray of sweet, sugary divinity.

Perfect homemade divinity is not an easy task to pull off in my opinion. Besides weather, timing is everything, beating it just right, knowing when to stop beating, and being able to spoon it down very quickly before it begins to set, all make a difference. Every single Christmas I plan to make my Mama's old fashioned holiday divinity and every single year the weather doesn't cooperate on the day I have set aside to make it. If it's about to rain, has just rained, or is raining, forget about it.

If it's hot and humid outside - the norm in the Deep South - it doesn't matter what you set your air conditioner on inside, your divinity will still likely fail and never set. Yes. We run our air conditioners in the month of December down here. So, every year, before you know it, the holiday has come and gone and no divinity comes from my kitchen.

Besides that, it's practically a team effort to get it right and you really almost need more than two hands to make it. My mother-in-law, her sister and a friend of theirs, gather each year to make massive batches of divinity for Christmas, and it's quite a production, taking them literally hours to do.

Anyway, because of all that, many of us have turned to shortcut methods using the microwave, or adding in things like baking powder, packets of gelatin and marshmallow creme, or whatever works to easily stabilize things and not have to deal with the less convenient, old fashioned ways. This shortcut version has actually been around a long time and it uses marshmallow creme, an ingredient that anybody who makes fudge is familiar with, for some of those very same candy-making challenges. Making a true, homemade fudge is also difficult and temperamental but add in marshmallow creme and voilà, it magically transforms that sugar. It still doesn't hurt to follow the same basic principles of divinity making, so I've included the tips from my old fashioned divinity at the bottom.

My husband actually likes this version of divinity better than the old fashioned divinity and says, "this is the way that divinity is supposed to taste." Well, in my opinion, none of the shortcut versions will ever meet up to Mama's old fashioned, homemade version, but I do have to say, this one really is pretty darned good.

Here's how to make it.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Place marshmallow creme in a large, metal or heat safe bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan, add the sugar, water and salt.

Heat over medium high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a full rolling boil. Let boil without stirring for 2 minutes, and no longer. Immediately pour the entire sugar syrup over the marshmallow creme and using a wooden spoon, begin to carefully beat the syrup into the creme.

Important: Beat the mixture until it begins to dull and no longer has a sheen. Just like any other divinity, you must beat it long enough, so don't lose patience with the process! Mixture will thicken once you beat in enough cool air and it begins to look dull and not shiny. If you try to drop it when it is still too hot and thin, it will not hold its shape and it is not ready! Continue to beat it. You will know when it is ready.

Once thickened, mix in the vanilla and pecan and work quickly to drop mixture by spoonfuls onto the parchment and garnish with a pecan half, if desired. Candied cherries are also very pretty. Set aside to dry for several hours before storing. How many you get will depend on how you drop them - generally somewhere between about 24 to 40.

Don't worry that your divinity isn't picture perfect little rounds of white clouds. The rustic looking drops is what gives it character and defines it as homemade. Divinity, whether made the old fashioned way, or using a shortcut, should never be hard or dry and brittle, or grainy and clumpy looking, but light, airy and with a creamy, soft bite. Leave uncovered overnight to allow it to air dry before storing. I like to place the whole tray into the cold oven and leave them there overnight.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Place marshmallow creme in a large metal or other heat safe bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan, add the sugar, water and salt. Heat over medium high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a full rolling boil. Let boil without stirring for 2 minutes, and no longer.

Immediately pour the entire sugar syrup over the marshmallow creme and using a wooden spoon, begin to carefully beat the syrup into the creme. Beat the mixture until it begins to dull and no longer has a sheen. Mixture will thicken once it begins to look dull. Mix in the vanilla and chopped pecans and work quickly to drop mixture by spoonfuls onto the parchment and garnish with a pecan half, if desired. Set aside to dry for several hours before storing.

Cook's Note: Please read the full post above as well as the tips below before beginning. Despite using a shortcut of marshmallow creme to stabilize the divinity here, you still MUST beat the divinity just like with any method, until it loses its sheen and thickens. If you try to drop the divinity when it is still thin, it's not ready. Don't lose patience with the process. Continue beating it until it loses its shine, begins to cool and thickens. You will know when its ready to drop. May also use candied cherries for the garnish, or very well drained, and dry, maraschino cherries.

The old wives tale for candy about rainy and hot, humid days applies with divinity. Humidity is nothing more than water vapor in the air and, as the moisture does with meringue and with many candies, it will almost always affect the way your divinity turns out. Shoot for a 40% or lower level of humidity. I have heard forever do not attempt to make divinity on a rainy, damp day because it just will not set, no matter what, so wait for a clear, dry day to make it, if you don't want to end up with a sticky hot mess.

Your mixer bowl must be clean, dry and completely free of any oil, including any body oils from your fingers. I like to use a stainless steel bowl. It holds the heat better which makes it much easier to drop the divinity, but because it holds the heat, it will take a little extra elbow grease to beat the sheen out of it. I also use two stainless iced tea spoons to drop, one to scoop, the other to push off the spoon.

It helps if you have a properly calibrated candy thermometer. To calibrate, bring a pot of water to boil and test your thermometer reading. Attach the thermometer to the side of the pot and check the temperature. At boiling it should be 212 degrees F. unless you live at a high altitude. If if isn't, you'll need to make manual adjustments against your actual thermometer reading to be sure you are reaching the correct temperature. Although shortcut divinity doesn't rely on temperature, classic divinity is ready when it reaches 260 degrees F.

You must allow divinity to dry well before storing. I place the whole tray into a cold oven overnight so that the divinity will dry well, then store in an airtight container.

You can sometimes correct a divinity fail. If it is too stiff, add very hot water, beating in a half tablespoon at a time until it reaches a fluffy consistency. If it is too thin and does not set, try adding 1/2 tablespoon at a time of powdered sugar until it thickens.

☛ Are you on Facebook? If you haven't already, come and join the party! We have a lot of fun & there's always room for one more at the table.

Material Disclosure: Unless otherwise noted, you should assume that post links to the providers of goods and services mentioned, establish an affiliate relationship and/or other material connection and that I may be compensated when you purchase from a provider. You are never under any obligation to purchase anything when using my recipes and you should always perform due diligence before buying goods or services from anyone via the Internet or offline.

35 comments:

Yum, I love divinity Mary, but I've never tried to make it. My mother always made delicious divinity, but it was tricky like you said. The weather had to be just right as far as the humidity. So I've not tried to make it. Your easy version sure looks as good as the old fashioned kind. Great job!

I made this and just as it was loosing its gloss, I added the vanilla and it immediately clumped up. It looked great until I added the vanilla. Maybe I'll add it earlier... Taste yummy- just looks terrible! Ha!

WoW, I just completed my first batch (ever) of using this recipe for divinity. It's long process, but it's done, woo hoo. I've just drop them and might I say they're a sight to see. I add chopped candied cherries, pecans, and a hint of coconut. I think I'll leave out the cherries next time.....great recipe though, Thanks <3

I've just completed my first batch (ever), they came out just great, just a tad too sweet. I think I'll leave out the candied cherries. I just chopped them in my food processor, gave the candy wonderful color though. Great recipe, it will be my go to for candy...Thanks <3

I have done this twice with not good results....the first time I dont think the syrup cooked enough be ause it meber lostits sheen (25 min of beating) tje second time I cooked the syrup to nearly hard ball around 4 mim and this batch was better but still too sticky. So will try again....I am not wasting my pecans ....will make one good batch before uding am going to get a stainless steel bowl tomorrow

Gosh, so sorry but I assure you, what you see pictured is made exactly as written with the recipe, so I just don't know what to say. So odd that some have success and others do not. Did you remember to leave it uncovered overnight to allow it to air dry before storing? I like to place the whole tray into the cold oven and leave them there overnight. Remember also, candy making can be affected by the weather. Rain and humidity in the air equals wet, and wet equals candy that often won't set.

Just completed my first attempt at divinity - turned out perfect And it is pretty. and guess what - its raining outside. so excited to share this tomorrow with family at our Christmas gathering. Thank you for the recipe

I know you posted this recipe a few years ago, but I ran across it during a pinterest search. I just made my first batch and they look and taste JUST LIKE MY GRANDMA'S DIVINITY!!!!Thank you for the recipe!

If it's a little hard or crumbly that does mean it cooked too long - you may have just needed to reduce the heat slightly so it doesn't boil hard. There's a picture up above that shows one cut into half if that's helpful.

I have never been able to recreate the fabulous divinity my great-aunt used to make so effortlessly! She had a farm in Georgia and could take her divinity off the stove to take care of some crisis, then set it back on the stove. Her divinity was always perfect. I am definitely going to try your version for Christmas. Thanks for posting this.

We make the old fashioned divinity every year but burned out my grandmother’s old mixmaster last year. Haven’t found a mixer that can handle divinity yet...not even a Kitchenaid. After that failed this year we just made your recipe. Definitely a keeper. I agree it is not quite the old fashion divinity my grandmother made but it is great. And easier and a good substitute.

Thank you so very much! I tried this tonight and it's perfect I fought with the old fashioned version and first time with your version perfect here in South Carolina. My grandma always could make the best divinity she passed away a few years ago and this year I feel like she's around! Thank you,Charlie

Mary, I am going to try making divinity with your recipe, but first I have a question. Is there a reason why you beat the divinity with a wooden spoon instead of a regular paddle or wire whisk mixer attachment? I saw you use your metal mixer bowl, so I was just curious why a wooden spoon? Thanks!

Now I am no candy making expert, please understand that, so I could be totally off base here, but I use a wooden spoon because it's temperature neutral, so you don't have to worry about it messing with the temperature of the candy.

Thanks for taking the time to comment - I love hearing from readers and I read every single comment and try to respond to them right here on the site, so stop back by!

From time to time, anonymous restrictions and/or comment moderation may be activated due to comment spam. I also reserve the right to edit, delete or otherwise exercise total editorial discretion over any comments left on this blog. If your comment serves only to be snarky, mean-spirited or argumentative, it will be deleted. Please mind your manners.

Hey Y’all! Welcome to some good ole, down home southern cooking. Pull up a chair, grab some iced tea, and 'sit a bit' as we say down south. If this is your first time visiting Deep South Dish, you can sign up for FREE updates via EMAIL or RSS feed, or you can catch up with us on Facebook and Twitter too!

You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces – just good food from fresh ingredients. ~Julia Child

The classic southern plate for supper is made up of meat and three, cornbread or rolls & a tall glass of sweet iced tea.

Oftentimes what makes a recipe southern, is as much a state of mind as it is a matter of geography - Southerners simply decide a particular food is southern, and that's that." ~Rick McDaniel, Food Historian

Material Disclosure: This site is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program,
an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Unless otherwise noted, you should assume that post links to the providers of goods and services mentioned, establish an affiliate relationship and/or other material connection and that I may be compensated when you purchase from the provider. You are never under any obligation to purchase anything when using my recipes and you should always perform due diligence before buying goods or services from anyone via the Internet or offline.

DISCLAIMER: This is a recipe site intended for entertainment. By using this site and these recipes you agree that you do so at your own risk, that you are completely responsible for any liability associated with the use of any recipes obtained from this site, and that you fully and completely release Mary Foreman and Deep South Dish LLC and all parties associated with either entity, from any liability whatsoever from your use of this site and these recipes.

ALL CONTENT PROTECTED UNDER THE DIGITAL MILLENNIUM COPYRIGHT ACT. CONTENT THEFT, EITHER PRINT OR ELECTRONIC, IS A FEDERAL OFFENSE. Recipes may be printed ONLY for personal use and may not be transmitted, distributed, reposted, or published elsewhere, in print or by any electronic means. Seek explicit permission before using any content on this site, including partial excerpts, all of which require attribution linking back to specific posts on this site. I have, and will continue to act, on all violations.